Research in Health Sciences
Health Sciences leads our Health, Social Care and Professional Practice to Support Living Well research topic and also contributes to our Determinants and Interventions topics.
Health Sciences researchers form an active teaching and research division with practice at its core. Practitioner-led research is central to building capacity and capability; for example, our successful Clinical Doctorate programme equips senior clinical practitioners with the research skills to develop and undertake their own research within a range of practice arenas. Our practice focus spans health and social care and has a particular focus on:
- Practice and interventions that enhance self-care and
- Determinants of population and public health.
Featured research
Treatment of Prolapse with Self-care Pessary
TOPSY is an NIHR funded clinical trial with nested process evaluation that is led by Dr Carol Bugge. The study aims to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of self-management of vaginal pessaries to treat pelvic organ prolapse compared to standard care to improve women’s quality of life.
COVID-19 studies focus on Ambulance Service impact
A new University of Stirling study will assess the challenges faced by paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic – and consider how their decisions impact patients with the virus.
Contact us
For enquiries about research in Health Sciences, please contact Dr Carol Bugge or Dr Ashley Shepherd.
Health Sciences research staff
Doctoral Students
Judith Balfour
Related outputs
Does self-management of vaginal pessaries improve care for women with pelvic organ prolapse?
Bugge, C., Dembinsky, M., Kearney, R., & Hagen, S. (2021). Does self-management of vaginal pessaries improve care for women with pelvic organ prolapse?. BMJ, 372, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n310
Using the Purple Line to Assess Labour Progress
Shepherd A & Cheyne H (2021) Using the Purple Line to Assess Labour Progress. Practising Midwife, pp. 22-23. https://stirling-research.worktribe.com/record.jx?recordid=1708515
Watchman K, Mattheys K, McKernon M, Strachan H, Andreis F & Murdoch J (2021) A person-centred approach to implementation of psychosocial interventions with people who have an intellectual disability and dementia-A participatory action study. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34 (1), pp. 164-177. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12795
Brown A, O’Donnell R, Eadie D, Ford A, Mitchell D, Hackett A, Sweeting H, Bauld L & Hunt K (2020) E-cigarette use in prisons with recently established smokefree policies: a qualitative interview study with people in custody in Scotland. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa271
Hagen, S., Elders, A., Stratton, S., Sergenson, N., Bugge, C., Dean, S., …McDonald, A. (2020). Effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training with and without electromyographic biofeedback for urinary incontinence in women: multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 371, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3719
Hazelton C, Pollock A, Dixon D, Taylor A, Davis B, Walsh G & Brady MC (2020) The feasibility and effects of eye movement training for visual field loss after stroke: a mixed methods study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022620936052
AG Kuipers M, Best C, Wilson M, Currie D, Ozakinci G, Marie Mackintosh A, Stead M, Eadie D, MacGregor A, Pearce J, Amos A & Haw S (2020) Adolescents' perceptions of tobacco accessibility and smoking norms and attitudes in response to the tobacco point-of-sale display ban in Scotland: Results from the DISPLAY study. Tobacco Control, 29 (3), pp. 348-356. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054702
Paterson RE, Taggart L, Hoyle L & Brown M (2020) Characteristics of diabetes medication-taking in people with mild to moderate intellectual disability compared to those without: a mixed-methods study. Diabetic Medicine, 37 (12), pp. 2035-2043. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.14365
Women's experiences of receiving care for pelvic organ prolapse: a qualitative study
Abhyankar, P., Uny, I., Semple, K., Wane, S., Hagen, S., Wilkinson, J., …Maxwell, M. (2019). Women's experiences of receiving care for pelvic organ prolapse: a qualitative study. BMC Women's Health, 19, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-019-0741-2
Cunningham, N., Cowie, J., Watchman, K., & Methven, K. (2019). Understanding the training and education needs of homecare workers supporting people with dementia and cancer: A systematic review of reviews. Dementia, Volume: 19 issue: 8, page(s): 2780-2803 https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301219859781
Ellaway A, Dundas R, Robertson T & Shiels PG (2019) More miles on the clock: Neighbourhood stressors are associated with telomere length in a longitudinal study. PLOS ONE, 14 (3), Art. No.: e0214380. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214380
Evans, J. M. M., Irvine, L., Cameron, D. M., & Connelly, J. (2019). The development of an intervention for diabetes prevention among people with impaired glucose regulation: feasibility and acceptability of an intervention component. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-019-0435-4
Crombie, I. K., Irvine, L., Williams, B., Sniehotta, F. F., Petrie, D., Jones, C., …. Evans J, …Hapca, S. M. (2018). Texting to Reduce Alcohol Misuse (TRAM): main findings from a randomized controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce binge drinking among disadvantaged men. Addiction, 113(9), 1609-1618. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.14229
'Fast and Frugal Heuristics': Clinical decision making in the Emergency Department
Gibbons L & Stoddart K (2018) 'Fast and Frugal Heuristics': Clinical decision making in the Emergency Department. International Emergency Nursing, 41, pp. 7-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2018.04.002
Maxwell M, Hibberd C, Aitchison P, Calveley E, Pratt R, Dougall N, Hoy C, Mercer S & Cameron I (2018) The Patient Centred Assessment Method for improving nurse-led biopsychosocial assessment of patients with long-term conditions: a feasibility RCT. Health Services and Delivery Research, 6 (4), pp. 1-119. https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr06040
Washout policies in long-term indwelling urinary catheterisation in adults
Shepherd A, Mackay WG & Hagen S (2017) Washout policies in long-term indwelling urinary catheterisation in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017 (3), Art. No.: CD004012. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004012.pub5
Rycroft-Malone J, Burton C, Wilkinson JE, Harvey G, McCormack B, Baker R, Dopson S, Graham I, Staniszewska S, Thompson C, Ariss S, Melville-Richards L & Williams L (2016) Collective action for implementation: a realist evaluation of organisational collaboration in healthcare. Implementation Science, 11, Art. No.: 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-016-0380-z